What happens when a room full of testosterone meets a sick line up of wine? Correct. Nobody made it to work on time the next day. Thanks to an invite from fellow wine-lover Robert Alfert, Esq., from the Robert Parker online wine forum, I was able to attend one of his highly touted, local-cycling-group wine dinners. Granted, I've only tasted with Robert once at a local wine tasting so I wasn't quite sure what awaited me as I rolled into the beautifully landscaped neighborhood of Lancaster Park. The wine theme of the night was 07’ Napa Cabernet’s. This is probably the loosest wine-themed dinner I’ve ever attended since only 3 of the 11 bottles met the 07' Napa requirement. Nonetheless, the wines and the dinner brought great pleasure and exceeded my expectations.
One wine I would like to mention specifically brought new meaning to the words world class. The wine of distinction is the 06’ 2006 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex pictured second from the left. With the 06’ Silex, the late Didier Dagueneau leaves behind a great legacy. Silex is named for the flinty rock that comprises the French Pouilly-Fumé’s soils.
As you know, Wineorl recently consumed a previous vintage of the Silex as part of Master Sommelier Andrew McNamara’s Wine Journey. Since reading his glorious notes, I have been dying to get my palate around this wine. So it was of no surprise that I greedily smiled with great anticipation while I swirled the glass. As I carefully placed my nose into the bowl I knew I was in for a memorable ride. The bouquet brought intense complexity. The rich exotic nose laced with notes of stable, stone, peach and pear spoke to me. Tasting this wine brought me to a new place for, along the way, I had completely lost interest in Sauvignon Blanc. Oh man, I’m back. This is a huge wine. On the palate, the acidity brought a laser-like focus, accented by soft pamplemousse, creamy peach, lemon hints and minerality. The long finish is framed by exotic fruits. The wine brought a cavalcade of decadence. I have no problem dubbing the Silex as liquid sex and quickly pointed this out as my wine of the night. No easy feat given the competition. This wine is a must for any wine collector and should be sought out yesterday.
It was a wonderful night filled with new friends, great food, wine, conversation and swollen livers. Until next time…
Very nice write-up, Marc, and thanks for the kind words. We were nervous about you bringing down the values in the neighborhood, but under the cover of night, all was well in the 'hood.
ReplyDeleteAs you attend more of the little gatherings with my cycling buddies, you will find the themes are all absymal failures. Lining up these testosterone-ridden lawyers, doctors and accountants to play ball with your theme is like herding cats. The only success is that everyone steps up nicely with very decent wines, the food is always top-notch, and the company is perfect. Glad you joined the group.
While I am true-blue lover of reds, especially from France, I have a particular affinity for Loire whites, especially Quartes du Charme. Loire, as you noted, also makes world-class Sav Blancs. Silex is a gem. No, it is a sensual, naughty, vivacious experience. Your words do it justice better than mine can. I concur wholeheartedly. My wine of the night as well.
Cheers, and until next gathering.
Robert
How about the hand-rubbed filet of bison, with it's smooth texture and lightly salted exterior? I'm making that again. Yes, it was a great evening. Ivan
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